MeafordOntario
A town in Ontario, home to 12,652 people. Its census division is Grey.
Is Meaford a good place to live?
A town of contrasts. Its lowest grade is for cost of living (C−). Crime is low (A−). All told, that adds up to a C+ overall, better than 43% of Canadian towns. The ranking puts it #582 of 858 in Ontario. Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ for health, B− for jobs & income and B− for walkability.
Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
How Meaford grades
Each subject compares Meaford with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Meaford stand out
The 2 things Meaford does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Meaford.
Rent takes less of local pay in Meaford than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 18% of household income
Just over four in five households own their home, higher than both Ontario’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%). Shelter took 30% or more of income for nearly a fifth of households, lower than Ontario’s towns (22%) and near Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 18% | 22% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 81% | 76% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 19% | 22% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020.
Violent crime weighs less on Meaford than on Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 45
Property crime runs at 18 per 1,000 people a year. Violence accounts for 9 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 18 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 45 | 76 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 9 | 10.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Hazards in Meaford: wildfire low, radon over the guideline in 11% of tested homes
Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.010 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). The national flood inventory has no study for Meaford.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 11% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.010 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
In the lower two fifths in Ontario: 7 of the 9 schools around Meaford with results
Results have climbed at 4 of 9 schools over three years. Its schools answer to 3 boards. The largest is Owen Sound District Secondary School Secondary School, with 1,285 students. Secondary school means a trip of 7.2 km at the nearest, above Ontario’s towns (1.2 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km) alike.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Ridge Community School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 805 | English public |
| Owen Sound District Secondary School Secondary School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,285 | English public |
| École élémentaire catholique St-Dominique-Savio FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 175 | French Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest elementary school | 7.2 km | 0.5 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 7.2 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
| School boards | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Visible minorities make up less of Meaford than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 3.7%
Immigrants make up one in ten residents, above both Ontario’s towns (7.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 3.2% of residents, higher than both Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
51.0% of Meaford’s residents are women
The 2021 census counted 5,855 women and 5,630 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.
| Meaford | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 56% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 31% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 16% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 55% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
July highs in Meaford: 25.3°C, against 26.7°C in Ontario’s towns and 25.5°C in Canadian towns
A normal January brings 111 mm of precipitation, more than any other month. Snowfall adds up to 385 cm a year, higher than both Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). Meaford sees January nights of −8.7°C on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 385 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| Precipitation a year | 1,074 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −8.7°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 25.3°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Collingwood)
More smokers around Meaford: 17% of adults, where the typical Canadian town has 12%
Source area for health survey and life expectancy: the Grey Bruce Health Unit
Age-standardised, 48% of the region’s adults put their health at very good or excellent, lower than both Ontario’s towns (51%) and Canadian towns (52%). People in the region live to 81.3 on average: 83.6 for women and 78.9 for men in 2022/2024. Closer to home, a hospital sits 4.6 km from the average resident of Meaford, about the norm of 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17% | 10% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 48% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.3 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
In Meaford, November normally means 8°C afternoons and 1°C nights
Across the year, normals run from −9°C nights in January to 25°C afternoons in July. Expect about 110 mm of rain and snow over November. Then December: 2°C by day, −5°C at night. About 48 cm of snow falls in a normal November.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −7°C | 292 mm |
| Spring | 10°C | 1°C | 232 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 15°C | 232 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 6°C | 319 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Collingwood); the forecast is on the Weather page
Meaford’s MP is Alex Ruff (Conservative Party of Canada), for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound
Ross Kentner was elected mayor of Meaford in October 2022, on a council of 7 seats.
| Turnout | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 37% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Meaford Public Library draws 7.2 visits per person served, ahead of 95% of Ontario’s town libraries
Meaford Public Library has one location for the 11,485 people it serves.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Step out of Meaford into Bayview Escarpment Provincial Park
The nearest national park is Georgian Bay Islands National Park, 57 km away. Protected areas open to the public, within 10 km of the town: 22, above both Ontario’s towns (4) and Canadian towns (4). For a swim, Sunnyside Beach is the nearest of 21 beaches within 5 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 22 | 4 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.1% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Commuters in Meaford have a short way to work, 24 min on average, less than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
94% of commuters drove, above Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%) alike.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Meaford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 24 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 94% | 88% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
Everything we know about Meaford
Meaford Museum and 8 more in and around Meaford
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Meaford, the best known first.
WaterfallInglis Falls1.3 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumCommunity Waterfront Heritage Centre2.1 km outside town, to the west
MuseumBilly Bishop Boyhood Home2 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumJolley's Riding Toy Museumin townMuseumMuseumGrey Roots Museum and Archives1.9 km outside town, to the southwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Inglis Falls: Sydtron, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Community Waterfront Heritage Centre: JasonParis from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Billy Bishop Boyhood Home: Rjsbird287, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Meaford
21 notable people were born in Meaford.
Photo credits
Lyman Duff: Topley Studio, Public domain · Brent Laing: Fabien Perissinotto, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Darren Pang: CTV_broadcasting_team.jpg : www.VancityAllie.com derivative work: Tabercil, CC BY 2.0 · Bill Murdoch: Tabercil, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Clarence Owen Cooper: DarylCooper61, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Glenn Smith: Unknown author, Public domain
About Meaford
Town in Ontario
Statistics Canada treats Meaford as a single census subdivision in Ontario, and TownRatings keeps to that line.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 12,652 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Grey
- Census subdivision
- 3542047
Questions about Meaford
Who are the people of Meaford?
Visible minorities are 4% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 10%, and Indigenous people 3%.
Is Meaford a young town or an old one?
54.4 is the median age, 45.2 the median among Canadian towns; 31% of residents are 65 or over and 13% under 15.
What kind of homes are in Meaford?
Households hold 2.3 people on average, and 28% have just one.
Has Meaford grown?
It grew from 10,991 people in 2016 to 11,485 in 2021, up 4.5%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 12,652.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).